Electroresponsive apparatus



Jan. 20, 1931. NETTLETON 1,789,907

' ELECTRORESPONSIVE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1924 W EJK I L V 17 -1. I4

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Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS L. NETTLETON,OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNALCOMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIAELECTRORESPONSIVE APPARATUS Application filed February 5, 1924. SerialNo. 690,830.

My invention relates to electro-responsive apparatus, and particularlyto apparatus of the type including a relay having a tuned vibratinmember.

One object of my invention is the provi sion of apparatus which will notresult in a false indication if the tuned vibrating member sticks in animproper position when the relay is not energized.

I will describe several forms of apparatus embodying my invention andwill then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l. is a view, partly diagrammatic,showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are"iews showing modifications of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig.1 and also embodying my invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the apparatus includes a. relay R having avibrating armature V, which armature is mechanically tuned by a springsupport S and an adjustable weight W to the frequency of the alternatingcurrent by which it is intended that the relay should be operated. Thisarmature V is polarized by suitable means, and, as here shown, this isaccomplished by a coil P constantly supplied with current by a battery22. The relay R further comprises a U- shaped field member 11 carryingtwo operating coils C, C. The armature V controls a contact K in suchmanner that this contact is open when the armature is at rest in itsintermediate position, but is intermittently closed when the armature isvibrating.

The operating coilsC are supplied with current in any suitable manner,as, for example, bymeans of a winding A in which alternating current isinduced. This winding A may, for example, be the pick-up winding ininductive relation with the track rail or an axle transformer in anautomatic train controlling system. The winding A is normally suppliedwith alternating current only of the frequency for which the relay R istuned, but if desired, the circuit for winding A may be provided withcondensers 10 and 10, so that the circuit functions to freely transmitcurrent of the predetermined fre quency and to prevent transmission ofcurcuit for which passes from a battery B,

through spring support S, armature V, contact K, and the winding ofrelay D to battery B. Relay D is provided with two armatures,

,12 and 18. The relay is so designed and pro portioned that the armature12 will be closed, that is, contact F will be closed, when the relay isenergized due to intermittent operation of the contact K at thepredetermined frequency, but that during such energization the armature18 remains retracted so that contact F is closed. T he relay is furtherdesigned and proportioned, however, in such manner that if by accidentthe relay is energized due to sustained closure of contact K, armature18 will be attracted so that contact F will open. The relay D controlsan electro-responsive device E, the circuit for which passes from abattery 16. through contact F, contact F and device E to battery 16.

It will be seen from the foregoing that as long as contact K is open,relay D will be deenergized, so that its contact F will be open, and,consequently, the device E will not he energized. l/Vhen relay R issupplied with alternating current, so that armature V is caused tovibrate, contact K will be intermittently closed, whereupon relay D willbe energized in such manner that contacts F and F are both closed; thedevice E will then be energized. If the armature V should stick in suchposition that contact K remains closed, relay D will be energized insuch manner that contact F will be closed and contact F will be opened,so that the device E will then be (lo-energized. It will be seen,therefore, that the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 functions to prevent falseenergization of the device E due to sustained closure of coutact K inrelay R.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus in the form here shown, comprisesan induction motor relay L controlledby contact K of relay R. The relayL comprises two stator windings 13 and 13 connected in series andincluded in circuit with battery B and contact K. A condenser 14 isconnected with winding 13 through the medium of a transformer 15 for thepurpose of displacing the phases of the currents in the two windings ofrelay L. When armature V is vibrating the intermittent closing ofcontact Ii causes pulsating current to be supplied to the wind ings ofrelay L, which current energizes this relay and causes it to close itsfront contact 17'17. In the event, however, that the armature Vsticks insuch position that contact K is closed, the windings of relay L will besupplied with continuous" current by battery B, and since this relay isof the induction motor type it will not respond to such current and soits front contactl7l7wvill be open.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the contact K controls a circuit including abattery B and the primary of a transformer T. The secondary of thistransformersupplies current to a rectifying device J,;which in turnsupplies uni-directional current to a relay D. lVhen armature V isvibrating,the pulsating current in the primary of transformer T inducesalternating current in the secondary of this transformer, whichalternating current is rectified, of course, by the device J. If contactK sticks in the closed position, however, continuous current will besupplied to the primary of transformer T and so the secondary circuit ofthis transformer will be lie-energized, with the result that no currentwill be supplied to relay D.

It will be seen from the foregoing thatthe apparatus shown in Figs. 2and 8, as well as the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, guards against falseenergization of the electro-responsive device due to continued closureof contact K of the tuned vibrating relay R.

Although I have herein shown and described only three forms of apparatusembodyin m invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications may he madethereiir within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the )irit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1s: 7 v

1. In combination, a normally open con- I tact, means for causingintermittent operation of said contact, a circuit including said contactand a source of current, a controlled device, and means associated withsain circuit for causing said. device to respond to intermittentoperation of said contact but not to sustained closure thereof.

2. In combination, a contact, means for causing intermittent operationof said contact, a circuit including said contact and a source ofcurrent, and a'magnet included in said circuit and. provided with twoarma: ures one of which closed whenthe mag- .et is energized due tointermittent operation of said contact and the other of which is closedonly when the magnet is energized due to sustained closure of saidcontact.

3. In combination, a relay comprising an armature mechanically tuned tovibrate at a given frequency, means for supplying periodic current ofsaid given frequencyto said relay, a contact operated by said armature,a circuit including said contact and a source of current, a controlleddevice, and means associated with said circuitfoi' causing'said deviceto respond to intermittent operation of said contact but not tosustained closure thereof. l. In combination, a relay comprising anarmature mechanically tuned to vibrate at a given frequency, means forsupplying periodic current of said given frequency to said relay, acontact operated by armature, a circuit including said contact and asource of current, a controlled device, and means for causing saiddevice to respond to periodic current but notice continuous current insaid circuit.

5. In combination, a normally open contact, means for causingintermittent operation of said contact, a circuit including said contactand a source of current, a controlled device, and means for causing saiddevice to respond to periodic current but not to continuous current insaid circuit.

6. In combination, a Contact, means. for causing intermittent operationof said contact, circuit includingsaid contact and a source of current,and a magnet included in said circuit and provided with two armaturesone of which is attracted when the magnet is energized due tointermittent operation of said contact and the other; of which isattracted only when the magnet is energized due to sustained closure ofsaid contact, an electro -responsive device, and a circuit for saiddevice including in series a contact closed only when said firstarmature is closed and a contact closed only when said second armatureis open 7. In combination, a relay comprising an armature mechanicallytuned to vibrate at agiven frequency and biased to an intermediateposition, a contact open when said armature is at rest in saidintermediate position but periodically closed while the armature isvibrating, a circuit including said contact and asource'ofcurrent,:means for supplying periodic current of said given frequency tosaid relay, a controlled device and means associated with said circuitfor causing said device torespond to intermittent 0peration of saidcontact but not to sustained closure thereof.

8. In combination, a relay comprising an armature tuned to vibrate at a.given frequency, means for supplying periodic current of said frequencyto saidrelav, a contact operated by said armature, a circuit includingsaid contact and a source of current,

electro-responsive means included in said circuit and controlling twoauxiliary contacts one of which closes in response to intermittentoperation of the first contact and the other of which opens in responseto sustained closure of the first contact but not to intermittentoperation of said first contact, and a controlled circuit governed bysaid two auxiliary contacts.

9. In combination, a relay comprising an armature tuned to vibrate at agiven frequency and biased to an intermediate position, a contact openwhen said armature is at rest in its intermediate position butperiodically closed while the armature is vibrating, a circuit includingsaid contact and a source of current, electro-responsive means includedin said circuit and controlling two auxiliary contacts one of whichcloses in response to intermittent operation of the first contact andthe other of which opens in response to sustained closure of the firstcontact but not to intermittent operation of said first contact, and acontrolled circuit governed by said two auxiliary contacts.

10. In combination a contact, means for causing intermittent operationof said contact, a circuit including said contact and a source ofcurrent, a controlled device and an induction motor supplied with energyby said circuit for causing said device to respond to intermittentoperations of said contact but not to sustained closure thereof.

11. In combination, a contact, means for causing intermittent operationof said contact, a circuit including said contact and a source ofcurrent, a controlled device, and a transformer the primary ofwhich isincluded in said circuit, and the secondary of which is connected withsaid controlled device for causing said device to respond tointermittent operation of said contact but not to sustained closurethereof.

12. In combination, a relay comprising an arn'iaturc mechanically tunedto vibrate at a given frequency, means for supplying periodic current ofsaid given frequency to said relay, a contact operated by said armature,a circuit including said contact and a source of current, a controlleddevice, and a transformer the primary of which is included in saidcircuit, and the secondary of which is connected with said controlleddevice for causing said device to respond to intermittent operation ofsaid contact but not to sustained closure thereof.

13. In combination, a contact, means for causing intermittent operationof said contact, a circuit including said contact and a source ofcurrent, a transformer the primary of which is'included in said circuit,a rectifier associated with the secondary circuit of said transformenanda controlled device responsive to uni-directional current receivingenergy from said rectifier, whereby said do- LEWIS L. NETTLETON.

